Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-04-25


hotel. cant promise you thst She will buy, but,
a. you like to show our wares. woulG be plea 'ed
10 have You submit Your i"cket 10 her.
Nours. =. + BAR-ON.
Reginald Foutaine thought a moment.
Then his dignity asserted itself. He called
his trusty brother and showed him the note
Jean. III let you wait ON these people Sell
the locket il ynu can. Get s2.1W if you
can't do any better Take good care OF the
locket"
A porter led Jean that afternoon to room
-, and knocked upon the door.
Enter sail a voice within.
Jean went i'll. A lovely Young woman,
richly clad, with pale face and languid air,
reclined in an easy chair. Before her on a
center table was 4 tray Of wine glasses. Mr..
Barton stood opposite, ard still upheld a
newly opened bottle, from which he had just
poured a tiny glass OF dark wine He bowed
TO Jean.
"You are from the jeweler'sf"
YES, sir"
step forward, if you please"
The porter went out and closed the door
Jean handed forth the locket, which Mr.. Bar
ton passed to his wife
How beautiful"
She held 1t to the light and examined it
critically.
Had YOU not better take this now" said
Mr. Barton, proifering her the glass of wine
She took it, and looked toward Jean
''PerhaIS this gentleman-" she said sug-
gestively
Certainly" replied Mr.. Barton He
poured ont Two more glasses, and pushed one
toward Jean viii you join us. sir' 1t is
port. Do YOU like sweet wine'"
Jean was very temperate and unused to
liquors. But here were a couple, evidently
of high social rank, accustomed, no doubt, to
the foreign Use of wine 1t might give Of
fense to refuse, and bargains often hang on
trities. He responded courteously. and slipped
the sweet port 10 the bottom of his glass.
Take Il seat here" said the lady
Jean accepted large easy chair 10y her side.
She turned her bright, dazzling eyes upon
him.
You are certain these are real diamondsfr
Warranted genuine, madam" returned
Jean.
His voice sounded thick to his own ears, a
strange oppression rose into his brain, the
world SEEMED rocking upon endless waves,
and the lady and the locket appeared to float
sway-away.
When Jean awoke twilight filled the room
with fantastic shadows, and rays from tue
street lamps fell Pickering ou the walls.
He knew he was in place he had seen be-
fore. but all WAS so unwonted, and the langor
that Law upon him was SO delicious and EN-
chanting that he felt sure he was in a dream
from which he hated to awaken
Even the loud knocking at the door failed
to rouse him to reality, and when he heard
his brothers voice crying out in alarm,
Jean! Jean" il only stirred his wrath, as if
summoned at an unwelcome hour.
Then followed silence, and he sat marvel
ing at the luxurious surroundings and the
mystery o! his presence here
The turning Of a key was followed by the
quick entrance Of the hotel clerk and Rel
nald Fontaine The jeweler darted forward
To his brother and clasped his arm; he looked
into his dilatei eyes aud bewlldered face and
cried
Jean. Jean What is the natter Where
is the locket.7
The locket! Jean sprang up. His lethargy
departed. He understood and, tottering to-
ward his brother, fell senseless at his feet.
Ten days later the French salesman reap
pearel. In vain Reginald Fontaine recounted
these facts and urged delay until the swinder
was captured aud the locket recovered The
Frenchman only shrugged and listened, and
at the end repeated. Settlement"
Fontaine at last drew a check for the
amount of his indebtedness, and the French
man disappeared.
Time passed. No trace was found ,of Bar
ton nor his lovely wife. One day, in New
York Reginald visited the roCues' gallery at